


Light & Darkness

by Axce



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Nwalin Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-24
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-10 12:26:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6956437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Axce/pseuds/Axce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This will contain my works (at least 2!) for Nwalin Week 2016.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Stone

**Author's Note:**

> Woah, this is officially the first time I've ever participated in a writing event-thing. I'm actually well excited :) This little thing is meant to just be peaceful, just Nori wanting to share something he found beautiful with Dwalin. Enjoy :)

“Nori, please just tell me where we’re going.”

Nori sighs, rolling his eyes. “For the third fucking time: no,” he calls over his shoulder. “And keep up, I don’t want to miss it.”

“Miss what?!” 

Nori turns around to look at Dwalin, and he almost bursts out laughing when he sees the look of utter exasperation on the other’s face. “You’ll see, my love,” he teases, and laughs when Dwalin throws his hands up in defeat.

They tread on through the tall grass, and cross a small stream. It’s not awfully common for Dwarves, but Nori loves to be outside, to feel the wind play with his braids and to hear the gentle rushing of leaves. The vales surrounding Erebor are full of life and beauty, and Nori finds himself wandering here more and more often, discovering something new every time.

What he discovered the day before, he couldn’t keep to himself.

Dwalin catches up with him. “Are we almost there?” he asks, gently, but there is still a slightly annoyed undertone. Nori nods, reaching for Dwalin’s hand. It’s warm, calloused, and quickly engulfs Nori’s smaller hand.

Dwalin looks at him with a mix of surprise, adoration and amusement. “What in Mahal’s name are you being so sappy and mysterious for?” he asks, giving Nori’s hand a little squeeze. “And if you say ‘you’ll see’, I’ll rip your arms off.”

Nori squeezes back, grins, and says nothing.

“Touché,” Dwalin chuckles.

They really are almost there, and Nori feels positively giddy with excitement. He leads the both of them eastwards, until a large rock structure becomes visible through the trees before them. Nori looks up at the cloudless, twilight sky, the sunlight still clear and reddening. They are _exactly_ on time.

They reach a circular clearing, and in the middle of it is the large stone, shaped like a massive tear-drop, 7 feet wide and at least 15 feet tall. It rests strangely in the grass, like someone dropped it from the sky, but other than that it looks like a regular, grey rock.

“Here we are,” Nori announces proudly.

Dwalin, as expected, frowns at him. “We are?”

“Aye,” Nori says, pleased to see that half of the sun is already hidden behind the horizon. “Just wait for it.”

And they wait. A minute passes, and Nori decides to sit down on the grass. Dwalin follows his example, and allows Nori to rest his head against his great shoulder. Another minute passes, and Nori notices Dwalin sending him confused glances every now and then. “Just wait, Dwalin,” he mutters amusedly.

Dwalin grumbles. “Fine, fine! I’m the patient one you know, from the two of us. I’m just not overly fond of surprises, as I think you…” The rest of his sentence stays unspoken, and Nori watches how slowly, Dwalin’s jaw drops.

Because the sun has just disappeared entirely, swallowed by the world beyond, and faint markings start to appear on the stone before them. Dwalin stands up, and strides over to the rock. He slowly traces the radiant markings on the stone, and lets out an awed sigh, before turning to Nori. “They’re warm,” he says, and this is new to Nori. He did not think to touch the markings yesterday.

He gets on his feet and joins Dwalin. Carefully, he places a finger on one of the angular marks, and marvels as a flow of warmth surges through him. “They are,” he breathes.

The markings grow ever brighter, strokes of pulsing reds and morphing oranges colouring the stone. “What do you think it means?” Nori asks.

“I don’t know,” says Dwalin, walking around the stone. “I don’t even know what language it is.”

Nori considers the runes. They have a Dwarvish quality to them, edges rough and sharp, but there are also more graceful ones, rounded and almost Elvish-like. They don’t seem to form patterns, like sentences or even words, but are randomly scattered over the surface of the rock. Dwalin joins Nori again on the other side, and together they sit back down on the grass, and watch how minuscule veins appear all over the stone, creating a network of glowing lines.

Nori leans against Dwalin once again, and feels a rumble of laughter go through him. Dwalin pulls Nori close, and kisses his brow once. “Akminruk zu, ghivashel,” he says lowly.

“Welcome,” Nori smiles.

As time passes, the sky grows darker, but the light from the stone does not falter yet, and serves as a soundless campfire. Nori and Dwalin sit before the wonder for another hour or two, and then the light from the stone starts to lessen, until it is very much like an ordinary stone again.

“That was breath-taking,” Dwalin says, breaking a long but comfortable silence.

“Aye,” Nori agrees, failing his attempt at stifling a yawn. “I’m mighty tired now, though.”

“Me too,” Dwalin says, standing up and offering Nori a hand, who takes it gratefully. “We’ll return here,” Dwalin says decisively.

Nori nods, and grants the mysterious stone a last glance. 


	2. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story follows the events from a scene in DoS. When the company plans to make for the forges, they split up, and Dwalin and Nori can be seen as one of the pairs. Enjoy :)

“Hey you! Here!” Dwalin shouts from the top of his lungs. He listens how the sound of his voice reverberates through the vast halls of Erebor, echoing from one stone wall to another. With a jerk of its enormous head, the dragon focuses its attention on Dwalin and Nori, piercing red eyes narrowing.

Dwalin turns to Nori, and the dwarf gulps. “We should probably run,” Dwalin grunts, a wry grin on his face.

Nori doesn’t speak, only gives a single sharp nod before turning around and bolting. Dwalin quickly sprints after him, and as they run over the stone pathway he hears the dragon close in on them, and every time the beast lands its massive, clawed paws on something solid, Dwalin’s heart beats a little faster in his chest. He isn’t used to running from his enemies, isn’t used to being scared of them, but now the fear comes easy, wrapping itself around him like a cold, wet blanket.

The final few feet before reaching the doorway to safety are the worst. The devastating sounds of the dragon threaten to make Dwalin’s eardrums burst, and for a split second he is certain he won’t make it. Then he looks at Nori before him, who is already safely in the next room. His eyes are huge with horror, a rare sight on the usually merry (and mischievous) dwarf.

“Don’t look back!” Dwalin reads the words from Nori’s lips, the sound of his voice completely drowned out by the terror of Smaug. With a final leap, using all his remaining strength, Dwalin reaches security, falling to his knees and quickly scrambling as far away from the doorway as possible.

Nori is quickly beside him, helping Dwalin to his feet. “You’re okay. You’re safe.” Dwalin is vaguely aware of the gentle words, driving away the ringing in his ears, calming his heartbeat and easing his raspy breathing. He’s _alive._

A faraway shout from the halls wakes Dwalin from his daze, and he recognises the voice of Dori calling for the dragon. Slowly but surely, the racket lessens as the dragon is distracted, moving away as there is no way he can reach his prey beyond the doorway. Dwalin looks at Nori, his strong face appearing grim in the scarce mountain light.

“We make for the forges,” Dwalin says, briefly taken aback when he hears his own voice, hoarse and pained. He waits for a response from Nori, but none comes. “Thorin needs me. Needs _us,_ Nori.”

“Aye,” Nori speaks, his tone cold. Clenching his jaw, he turns away and stalks off, leaving Dwalin to frown at the back of his head, before following.

“Nori, are you well?” Dwalin asks, attempting to keep up with the light-heeled dwarf before him.

Nori scoffs, and the sarcasm in his voice is unmistakable, “oh, I feel fantastic, Dwalin. We were just chased by a fire breathing dragon, not to mention the fact that I almost got to watch the beast tear you in pieces right before my eyes.”

“He didn’t, though,” Dwalin says softly, and tentatively places a hand on Nori’s shoulder. To his sorrow, he feels him tense under his touch, and Dwalin pulls away.

They hurry on in silence for a while. Dwalin tries to ignore the rumbling of the mountain, tries not to grieve for all the beauty of Erebor that has already perished under Smaug’s terrible rage. He is surprised to find his mind doubtful of what lies ahead, if the company will die in this mountain which some of them once called their home. He searches for a hopeful thought, something to ensure he has a reason to breathe.

Unexpectedly, Nori whirls around, scowling. “It doesn’t bother you at all?” he demands, and Dwalin feels a sharp sting of guilt in his stomach when he notices tears in the corners of Nori’s eyes.

“I…” he begins, but Nori cuts him off.

“He’s going to be the death of us all. Dori, Ori, Balin, they’ll all die because of his… He’s gone _mad,_ Dwalin! Please don’t tell me you are blind to his madness. ”

Dwalin says the only thing he knows to say in situations like these, ‘I promised to follow him. Thorin is my King, Nori.’

‘AYE, HE’S YOUR KING!’ Nori bellows, bristling with anger. ‘What else is he?’ he growls half-heartedly, glancing away, but Dwalin hears it.

Dwalin hears it, and all air freezes in his lungs. His mind starts racing, a different thought surfacing every fraction of a second, and his vision is suddenly clouded by anger, fear, exasperation, _everything at once_. He feels sick, unable to process what he’s just heard. Aye, he loves Thorin, with every fibre of his being. Like a brother. Like a fierce friend. Never something else.

Because he doesn’t know what he feels, doesn’t remember how to speak, he acts on impulse, and grabs Nori by his collar. Dragging him upwards, roughly pushing him against the wall, Dwalin’s memory flashes back to how he first met Nori. A skinny, red-haired dwarf, braids messy and loose, attempting to escape the city guard after getting caught stealing from the market.

There is no time for dwelling in the past, so Dwalin returns to the present once more, focusing on the dwarf before him now, on the creases in his forehead, on his still messy braids, on the eyes that are still blazing with anger, but are also tired. Dwalin sees Nori’s lips part ever so slightly, and he lunges forward, pressing his body against Nori’s, and kisses him. He allows himself to forget about the quest at hand, about the dragon and about Erebor. He focuses on soft lips, wet tongue, the taste of Nori filling his mouth.

Dwalin’s not sure how much time passes, but the kiss is broken by Nori. They gaze into each other’s eyes for a while, breathing heavily, when Dwalin realises he remembers how to speak.

“He’s my King. He’s my best friend. Nothing else. I love _you_ , Nori. I love you, and no one else, you hear me?” He snarls, yet loosens his grip on Nori’s clothes, but keeping their bodies together. He isn’t ready to let go of the moment, not ready to return to the cold reality of being trapped in a mountain with no way out.

Most of the anger fades from Nori’s eyes, and he casts his gaze down.

“And aye,” Dwalin continues, “it bothers me, and troubles me deeply. I know of his madness, Nori, I know he’s prepared to risk everything for the sake of this quest, and I resent that part of him. But the other part… the other part saved us at Azanulbizar, lead our people through the barest of circumstances, fought tragedy after tragedy. And survived. And kept hoping.”

“I know,” Nori mumbles, and he sounds defeated. “It’s just… I’m just…”

“Scared?” Dwalin chuckles, nuzzling Nori’s cheek with his nose, threading his fingers through the other’s beard. He has to shake dark thoughts from him before he speaks again, black thoughts that attempt to crawl under his skin and make him break away from Nori. “Aye, as am I. Scared to death. If we ever see that burglar of ours again, I’m asking him how in Mahal’s name he faced that vile monster on his own.”

Nori shifts, and rests his forehead against Dwalin’s. “Look at me,” he says softly.

Dwalin looks up until their eyes meet.

“We’ll see Bilbo again. We’ll see all of them again. We’re going to make it to the forges, and slay the dragon. This is our mountain, and we will see its glory restored,” Nori says, unblinking, and Dwalin can’t help a smile spreading across his face.

“I don’t know how you do it,” he says, and Nori inclines his head. “You instill hope in my heart, time after time,” Dwalin says, and fights the urge to kiss Nori again. He knows he wouldn’t be able to stop if he did.

Nori proceeds to actually _snort_ , and Dwalin feels his smile turn into a grin. “You’re such a softy,” Nori accuses, but for a moment his eyes are purely filled with love. Then, fear and sadness return to them, but there is determination also. Dwalin finally allows the gloom of the mountain to wash over him again, and clings to Nori’s warmth for a bit longer.

They part, and the cold silence of the mountain is almost deafening. They look at each other, and fear and uncertainty engulf them. They make for the forges, together, always together.

They will tackle this together.


End file.
